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Fresh parsley is either flat-leaved or curly, but both can be used in a similar fashion: minced and used as a garnish, as a flavor enhancer in soups and stews, or as a primary ingredient in fresh salads. Parsley is rich in a range of nutrients, and as it is also low in calories and high in fiber, it is a nutritious addition to a weight-loss diet.

Low in Calories

A 1-cup serving of parsley has only 22 calories, 0.47 gram of total fat and 34 milligrams of sodium, making it a low-calorie, low-fat, low-sodium way of enhancing flavor. While a 1-cup serving may seem high, many Mediterranean dishes use parsley as a major ingredient. As a single pound of body weight is equal to 3,500 calories, using parsley to increase flavor -- rather than, say, an extra tablespoon of olive oil, which has 119 calories per serving -- can help you lose weight over a period of time.

Vegetable Intake and High Fiber Content

Parsley is naturally high in fiber, containing 2 grams per 1-cup serving of chopped leaves. While this may seem low at first glance, it's high considering a cup of parsley takes up just 1 percent of the calorie intake in 2,000-calorie diet. A single serving of parsley has 5 percent to 8 percent of the daily recommendation for dietary fiber, which has numerous benefits, including helping you feel fuller with less food, reducing the chances of overeating. Parsley can also help you meet your recommended daily intake of vegetables, which is between 2 and 3 cups per day.

Other Benefits

Parsley is high in iron, which helps your body produce red blood cells. A 1-cup serving of parsley has 3.7 milligrams of iron, which is 21 percent and 46 percent of the daily intake recommendation for women and men, respectively. Parsley is also rich in vitamin K, which helps with blood coagulation. A 1-cup serving has 984 micrograms of vitamin K, which is well over 100 percent of the daily adequate intake. Parsley contains natural antioxidants, including vitamins A, C and E. Antioxidants help protect your body’s cells from damage from environmental toxins and free radicals, which are produced as a side effect of your metabolism. While these nutrients do not directly aid in weight loss, they do help you stay healthy as you lose weight.

Diet-Friendly Serving Tips

Parsley can be used as more than just a mere garnish in your weight-loss diet. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of parsley to every serving of salad you eat, including starch-heavy ones such as rice, pasta or potato salads, to immediately boost the salad's nutrient content. Using a larger quantity of parsley -- between 1/4 to 1 cup -- gives foods a vegetal, herbal flavor that is not overpowering, reducing the need for added fat to add flavor. You can also add parsley to a smoothie or juice. Retain parsley's fiber content by using a blender to make your juice.

About the Author

Lana Billings-Smith has been writing professionally since 1997. She has been published in the "Montreal Gazette" and the "National Post." She also teaches and lectures at McGill University. A certified personal trainer, she holds a Bachelor of Arts with a specialization in leisure sciences and a minor in therapeutic recreation.